Dogo (dog type)

Dogo, Dogue, Dogge or Presa is a sub-type of molosser dogs, which represents a medium-sized intermediate between the mastiff and the bulldog. Typically Dogos have a much lighter structure than mastiffs and most of them have a longer muzzle - with the exception of the Dogue de Bordeaux.

The term Dogo derives from Spanish. In Spain, dogos are typically local catch dogs which have also been used as cattle dogs and livestock guardians. The Spanish Dogos are sometimes known as presas - for instance, the Dogo Canario was originally called presa canario and the Dogo Mallorquín is alternately known by Spaniards as presa mallorquín. The extinct Perro de Presa Español was closely related to them and might have been one of their ancestors. However, the Latin American Dogos - the Dogo Argentino, the Brazilian Dogo, and the Guatemalan Dogo - are never called Presas because they represent a little different form of the Dogo and have a different origin, descending from and having similar characteristics to the old type Bull Terrier.

In French and Portuguese, Dogos are called dogues and in German Dogges. Therefore, in Spanish, the Dogue de Bordeaux is known as dogo de Burdeos and the Great Dane (Deutsche Dogge) as dogo alemán. In addition, the Portuguese word fila is basically an equivalent for the word presa and a Portuguese dictionary published in 1813 explains the term cão fila as being "a dog that catches a prey without releasing it" - so it refers to the same kind of catch dogs as the Spanish Dogos.

In Spanish, French and German, tipo dogo, type dogue or doggenartige Hunde also refers to the whole mastiff-type dog sub-group of the FCI. However, more massive and heavier mastiff breeds belonging to the same FCI sub-group are still usually called mastín, mâtin and Mastiff.

The following breeds are counted as Dogos or Presas (Filas):

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